The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-11-10
HENDERSON. n. c.
1cnSCIuDED FROM FIRST PAGE.


school houses and imposing churches
are erected the very face OF nature
and all Of the surroundings aye
changed, bettered and beautlhed.
Then too, see how wonderfully met
amorphosed are the towns IN this ia
yored belt! Villages have been trans
formed into towns, and towns into
cities, with all that wealth, culture
and enterprise can impart. The ex-
tent and prosperity of this industry in
the past decade has been phenomenal,
and far exceeds in profits any other
farming interest anywhere, in any
country, in any time. Its possibilities
no one can compare, for it is still ex-
tending, carrying thrift, enterprise
and progress in its train. The distinct
i've feature of this phenomenon is that
it has brought in;o requislton as most
profitable, the poorest soils. in the State,
and wrought Its improvement on the
poorest farming classes. 1t has also
enhanced the value Of such lands until
they actually sell for more than the
most fertile bottom lands, and the
spectacle has actually been witnessed
of a contention between counties as to
which could show the most poor land.
The effect Of this is practically to in
crease largely the wealth producing
power of the State, breaking down the
ordinary economic distinctions be
tween sterile and fertile lands. Lands
worth from 81 to So per acre in 1860,
now bring from $40 to $500, and old
fields, worn out fifty years ago, and
grown up in pines-felds which would
scarcely produce bushel of corn to
an acre, are now often sold for $50
per acre. That my hearers may not
consider the above statements eXtrava-
giant, | would say quote them from
the United States census report of 1880.
INSTANCES OF PROFITABLE CULTURE OF
TOBACCO.
1t is not an impossible thing for a
man from one years crop of tobacco,
raised on few acres, to pay for a
good sized farm. Instances: w. L.,
of Guilford county, in 1883, bought
roo acres of land for 1000. The first
year he cut from three acres 5000
worth of cord wood, and on the same
three acres raised a crop of tobacco
for which he received S54S. The
second year from the same three acres
he raised crop of tobacco for which
he received SI,IoS. w. r. W., OF
Warren county, in 1882 bought 900
acres Of land for $1,000. From a crop
raised of of it in 1884 he was paid
$500. Z. c. B., of Vance county, IN
1875 bought ten acres adjoining the
corporate limits of Henderson, paying
for the same about $40 per acre. In
1884 he rented out said land for one
half the crop, and his part realized
him 5000 per acre-a rental fifteen
times more than the land cost him
and the crop from these ten acres sold
for $4,000. +. W., of the same county
in 1884 purchased fifty-two acres fol
$500. Last year he planted five acre:
in tobacco. He sold this crop fol
$4,000. He had 2,255 plants, or hills
which realized him over twelve cent:
per plant. For part Of this tobacco he
received 81 per pound, and the entire
crop averaged him ffty-five cents pc
pound. 1t cost him to make this to
bacco not over 5000 about sever
cents per pound. Hisproht was Sc, zoo
from five acres, that cost him in 1884
about $40 per acre. In 1884 P. w
bought a farmers growing crop on 81!
acres, for $500. The purchaser cureo
the same at a merely nominal cost
and sold 1t on the warehouse floor 70
SI,72S. The second purchaser price
the same, consigned it to his factor il
Petersburg, and realized over s. 900
The same year the buyer purchased o
tenant his half-interest in twelv
acres of land for 5000. The purchase
subsequently sold his halfinterest 70
$1,000. The landlord his half-inter
est for SI,Ioo, making total of So,
900 for twelve acres, planted in to
bacco. I. L. o., of Johnston county
N. c., on forty-hve acres, planted il
tobacco, in 1886, realized thirty cent
per pound for his entire crop round. =.
vICIssITUDES OF THE CROP. -
While instances such as are givel
above are by no means isolated, an,
doubtless every part of this fine tobacco
belt otcountry has many such, the vicis
STUDIES attending the cultivation of ,hi
crop are many. The season, unles
favorable, will SO injure the quality ant
texture, that no SIX Ill in the cultivation
or curing will make fine tobacco. Thel
1t requires the greatest care and cxpe
rlence in the cultivation let no movie
or tyro expect to raise this golden leaf
he will surely fail. Then the insect
flea, bugs attack the plant, ant
often SO pcrforate it with small hole
as literally to destroy the leaf Their
The tobacco worm so infects the leave
that it is daily task to pick them OF
10y hand from every plant until i
reaches certain size, or it will be eater
up. Then the plant is subject to dis
eases, such as firing. Then the leaf
after it has arrived at maturity, possess
ing every quality Of value, may b
ruined by Ignorance. carelessneSs, OF